It's that time of the year again when people voluntarily turn off the electricity for an hour, an initiative, which if only symbolic, still makes a strong case for saving the earth by reducing consumption patterns.
The Earth Hour, which started out in 2007 with Australia turning off its lights for an hour, has become the world's largest grassroots movement for the environment and for stemming climate change.
On Saturday, from 8.30pm to 9.30pm, Earth Hour will be observed in India and Minister of Environment, Forests and Climate Change Dr Harshavardhan has pledged to switch off all non-essential electrical connections in his home and office and has appealed to people to do the same. The minister, who began the concept of doing a 'Green Good Deed' everyday, feels that observing the Earth Hour is the ideal step for the present day.
The Earth Hour is a campaign of the World Wide Fund for Nature, and has participation of 178 countries around the world. This year, WWF-India has launched the 'give up to give back' initiative, encouraging individuals and institutions to choose to curb habits and lifestyles that are bad for the environment. Some of these actions are doing away with single-use plastics, giving up of fossil fuels and encouraging car pooling.
The Bharat Scouts and Guides in India, an association of 5 million people, has decided to give up it plastic woggles. The Indian Hotel Company Limited, which runs the Taj Group of hotels, is participating in a plastic elimination challenge over a period of two weeks in support of the Earth Hour's theme. The hotels of the group are competing with each other in coming up with innovative solutions, the best of which will be tested for potential scaling up across the company.
The electricity supply company BSES too has joined the movement and appealed to consumers to switch off. Last year, during Earth Hour, Delhi NCR saved 290MW of power. The amount may not be much, but it quantifies what teachers often tell students: that every action counts, that little drops of water can make a mighty ocean.
The movement has had its share of critics. There was a time when people were asked to turn off the power and light a candle to show their solidarity with the earth. It led to criticism over unnecessary use of paraffin wax and also, how pointless the act was. So, over the years, the movement itself has reworked itself into being less symbolic and more meaningful. This year's theme, for instance, can take the message forward beyond the one hour.
“I have been observing Earth Hour for years,” says Suchitra Kulkarni, a programme director with the Ananta Centre. “I spend that one hour taking a walk, admiring the dark. It's a good way to bond with the earth.” And while the images of national monuments and brilliant skylines going dark have become associated with the Earth Hour, there is now focus also being given to reclaiming the dark skies.
Light pollution has become so great in recent years, that from cities, only the brightest stars can be seen. “We hear that there will be meteor showers and other celestial phenomena, but we can barely see anything from cities. The Earth Hour gives city dwellers a peek into the dark skies and their brilliance,'' adds Kulkarni.
For those who don't know what to do when the lights are off, here are some suggestions:
Take a walk
Watch the skies
Sit in the dark and play a game with friends and family—antaakshari or word building
Have a candlelight dinner
Do nothing. Just enjoy the darkness. When was the last time you did that?